Foley: Baldwin County's Gateway to the Gulf
Positioned about 10 miles north of Gulf Shores, Foley has evolved from an agricultural town into a retail and entertainment destination for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who pass through Baldwin County each year on their way to Alabama's beaches. The population stands near 17,200, but the number of people in the area on any given summer day can be many times that.
Tanger Outlets, a large outlet mall on the south side of town, is one of the primary draws. OWA, an amusement park and entertainment complex that opened in phases starting in 2017, added another reason for visitors to spend time and money in Foley rather than just driving through. The park includes rides, a water park, restaurants, and retail built around a man-made lake.
Behind the tourist-facing economy, Foley retains a small-town core. The downtown area around the Foley Heritage Center and the historic railroad depot has seen some revitalization, with locally owned shops and a community museum. The Baldwin County Heritage Museum preserves the area's agricultural and small-town roots.
Agriculture has not disappeared entirely. Sod farms, nurseries, and some row crop operations still occupy land around the city's edges, though development pressure from the beach tourism economy continues to convert agricultural acreage into commercial and residential use.
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Positioned about 10 miles north of Gulf Shores, Foley has evolved from an agricultural town into a retail and entertainment destination for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who pass through Baldwin County each year on their way to Alabama's beaches. The population stands near 17,200, but the number of people in the area on any given summer day can be many times that.
Tanger Outlets, a large outlet mall on the south side of town, is one of the primary draws. OWA, an amusement park and entertainment complex that opened in phases starting in 2017, added another reason for visitors to spend time and money in Foley rather than just driving through. The park includes rides, a water park, restaurants, and retail built around a man-made lake.
Behind the tourist-facing economy, Foley retains a small-town core. The downtown area around the Foley Heritage Center and the historic railroad depot has seen some revitalization, with locally owned shops and a community museum. The Baldwin County Heritage Museum preserves the area's agricultural and small-town roots.
Agriculture has not disappeared entirely. Sod farms, nurseries, and some row crop operations still occupy land around the city's edges, though development pressure from the beach tourism economy continues to convert agricultural acreage into commercial and residential use.
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